Sheet binder



Jan. 15, 1963 G. G. GRINNELL 3,073,355

SHEET BINDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Jan. 3, 1941 Jan. 15, 1963G. G. GRINNELL 3,073,355

SHEET BINDER Original Filed Jan. 3, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 15, 1963s. e. GRINNELL 3,073,355

SHEET BINDER Original Filed Jan. 3, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6) n m M Myinvention relates to sheet binders.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.409,608, Patent No. 2,850,927, filed February 11, 1954 which is acontinuation of my application Serial No. 175,456, filed July 22, 1950,now abandoned, which is a continuation of my application Serial No.596,883, Patent No. 2,855,763, filed May 31, 1945, which is a divisionof my application Serial No. 373,021, filed January 3, 1941 (now PatentNo. 2,377,340).

One of theo'bjects of my invention is to provide apparatus for formingU-shaped fasteners from wire, each fastener having two leg portions anda wire crosspiece portion connecting the leg portions.

It is anotherobject of this invention to provide a novelfastener-forming apparatus in which the wire from Which the fastenersare formed is continuously fed into engagement with a formingtoolwhereby the utmost in efliciency of operation is assured.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a novel tooland die combination employing cam-actuated stop means and wirepositioning means which function in synchro-nism with the reciprocallymoving tool member whereby U-shaped fasteners are formed of uniformconfiguration in a continuous manner.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe description and claims.

In the drawings, in which my invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the fastener forming mecha- .nism;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the wire feeding apparatus, thewire severing apparatus, and the tool and die forming apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing the tool anddie forming apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

.FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse section on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5a is a perspective view showing the tool and forming die; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the fastener elements.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the construction shown comprises amechanism for withdrawing flat Wire 1 from a reel, straightening it, andfeeding it to a forming device 2 (FIGS. 3, .4 and 5), mechanism 3 forcutting the wire into sections of the proper length for forming theU-shaped fasteners 4, the latter mechanism including a plunger 5 and die6 for forming the severed sections into U-shaped fastener devices 4.

The mechanism for withdrawing the wire from the reel and feeding it tothe forming die comprises a pair of friction feed wheels 13 (FIGS. 1 and2) constantly driven from the motor 14, for frictionally feeding thewire 1 tothe forming device 2, a pair of friction feed rolls 15 forinsuring a sufficient supply of wire to the feed rolls 13, alsoconstantly driven from the motor 14, and guiding and straightening rolls16 for straightening the wire asitis removed from the reel and guidingit to the feed rolls 15.

Patented darn. i5, 1963 In order to adjust the speed of the feed rolls13 and 15 to insure the proper rate of supply, a variable speed drive isprovided between the motor 14 and feed rolls comprising a friction disc17 (FIGS. 1 and 2) mounted on the shaft 18 of the feed rolls 13 and 15and a friction wheel 19 shifta'ble across the face of this friction disc17 and splined to a shaft 29 on which the gear 21 is mounted. This gear21 is driven from the motor 14 by means of a pulley 22 on the motorshaft 23, a belt 24 running over this pulley, and a pulley 25 over whichthis belt 24 runs mounted on a shaft 26 on which the pinion 27 ismounted which meshes with the gear 21. Any suitable means may beprovided for controlling the speed of the motor 14.

The means 3 for severing the wire into sections of the proper lengthcomprises a shearing knife 28 underneath the wire 1 as it travels, asshown in FIGS. 3 and 5, and an L-shaped arm 29, on which this knife ismounted, pivotally mounted at 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2). A spring 31 isprovided which normally holds the knife 28 in lowered position. Anelectromagnet 32 is provided cooperating with an armature 33 on theknife arm to effect the severing action of the knife. This electromagnet32 is energized in timed relation with the staple-forming tool 5 bymeans of a U-shaped circuit-closing conductor 34 (FIGS. 1 and 2),mounted on the same motor-driven shaft 20 on which the motor-driven gear21 is mounted. Each revolution of this shaft will close the circuit forthe electromagnet through the contacts 35 and 36 and the U-shapedconductor 34.

The mechanism for forming the U-shaped fastener comprises the dieelement 6 having opposed guides or grooves 36a (FIG. 5a) for receivingand forming the arms of the U-shaped fastener, and a plunger tool 5slidable in a guideway 36b cooperating with this die 6, operatingtransversely of the direction of travel of the wire 1 and serving toforce the severed section of wire into the die to cause the section toassume the U-shape as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6.

The plunger tool 5 is operated from the same motordriven shaft 2th whichfeeds the Wire 1 and controls the movement of the knife 28, by means ofa crank 37 mounted on the motor-driven shaft 20, a connecting rod 32;pivotally secured at 39 to the crank 37, and a Wrist pin connection 4%with the slide 41 to which the fastenerforming tool 5 is secured. Withthis construction, it will be seen that each revolution of themotor-driven shaft Zii will cause a section of wire to be cut off by theknife 28 and will cause the tool 5 to make one complete stroke back andforth to form one of the U-shaped fasteners. At the same time thefriction feed wheels 13 will be rotated to cause the wire to be advancedsufficiently to provide material for another fastener. An adjustablestop 42 (FIGS. 2 and 4) is interposed in the path of travel of the wireto stop the travel for an instant While the wire is being severed. Theinstant the section is severed off, the plunger tool 5 engages themiddle part of the section and forces it into the die. Means areprovided for enabling the feeding of the wire to be resumed while theplunger die is making this stroke back and forth. For this purpose, theedge of the plunger is eveled, as shown at 43 (FIG. 5), to enable theadvance end of the severed wire to ride up along this incline 43 and topass across and above the plunger as the plunger is making itsback-and-forth stroke, as shown in FIG. 5.

In order that the plunger may engage the wire when the plunger beginsits advance, the front end of the plunger is relieved to provide afastener-engaging shoulder 44 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5a). In order to insurethat the wire is brought down so as to be in the path of this shoulder44 when the plunger 5 begins its advance, a cam-controlled,spring-pressed depressor slide 45 is pro vided. This depressor slide 45is mounted in fixed guides 46 adjacent the entrance to the die and isurged downwardly by means of a compression spring 47. The downwardmovement of this depressor slide is controlled by a cam depression 48 ina cam bar 49 which reciprocates with the plunger tool 5, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3. When the plunger tool is withdrawn so that the relievedfront portion 50 (FIG. 5a) of the plunger is under neath the wire 1, thecam depression 48 will have been moved to a position which will enablethe wire depressor to move downwardly to force the wire l onto therelieved portion of the plunger tool. This insures that the flat wirewill not buckle up and elude the front edge of the shoulder portion 44of the forming tool in its initial movement.

In order to straighten out the connecting portion 51 of the U-shapedfastener, a reciprocable cam-controlled, spring-pressed stop 52 isprovided (FIGS. 3 and 4). This stop 52 is moved up and out of the way bythe cam bar 49 to enable the ejection of the completed fasteners and ismoved down into the path of the connecting part 51 of a succeedingfastener by means of a compression spring 53 when the depressed camportion 48 of the cam slide comes underneath the follower portion 54 ofthe reciprocable stop.

In order to insure that the fastener 4 is not withdrawn or partiallywithdrawn as the plunger tool 5 returns, a snap spring detent 55 isprovided, secured at one end at 56 and having its free end 57 inposition to snap down into the recess 58 in the shoulder 44 of the tool5 behind the crosspiece 51 of the U-shaped fastener when this crosspieceis pressed against the reciprocable stop 52. The die 6 and tool 5 arerelieved and rounded off where necessary to facilitate the bending andforming operations.

I have found that fasteners with a colored coating may be made byproviding the wire with a coating of coloring material before thefasteners are formed. The forming of the fasteners does not materiallyinjure the coating. This enables fasteners to be made in various colorsto harmonize with the tablet covers or the like.

It is thus seen that a novel fastener-forming apparatus has beenprovided which is adapted to form U-shaped fasteners from continuouslyfed wire of rectilinear crosssectional configuration. Theabove-described apparatus is simple in details of construction andpossessed of a few sturdy parts which have a long useful life.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, andit is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming U-shaped fasteners from wire, each fastenerhaving two leg portions and a wire crosspiece portion connecting saidleg portions, said apparatus comprising a die having a longitudinalpassageway, a reciprocating tool movable in said passageway, saidpassageway being formed integrally with spaced parallel guide channelsstraddling said passageway for receiving and guiding said fastener legportions, said reciprocating tool having spaced edge portions of arcuateconfiguration projecting forwardly of the opposed lateral edges of saidtool for engaging said wire whereby said wire will not be bent at asharp angle when engaged thereby, said arcuate forward edge portionsbeing intermediate said guide channels when disposed in said passagewayand engageable with a portion of wire from which said fastenercrosspiece is formed, whereby the same may be forced into said diepassageway and said wire portions straddling said portion engaging saidtool forward edge portions may be bent relative thereto and forced intosaid parallel guide channels straddling said passageway.

2. Apparatus of claim 1 in which each of said parallel guide channelsand said wire have substantially the same rectilinear cross section.

3. Apparatus for forming U-shaped fasteners from wire, each fastenerhaving two leg portions and a wire crosspiece portion connecting saidleg portions, said apparatus comprising a die having a longitudinalpassageway, a reciprocating tool movable in said passageway, saidpassageway being formed integrally with spaced parallel guide channelsstraddling said passageway for receiving and guiding said fastener legportions, the width of said channels being substantially the same as thethickness of said wire, said reciprocating tool having a relievedsurface portion reciprocally movable into said die passageway, saidrelieved surface portion being intermediate said guide channels whendisposed in said passageway, said reciproeating tool surface portionbeing engageable with a portion of wire from which said fastenercrosspiece is formed whereby the same is forced into said die passagewayand said straddling wire portions are forced into said parallel guidechannels; means for continuously feeding wire across said die and intothe path of movement of said tool relieved surface portion, the side ofsaid tool disposed closer to the wire feeding means having a slopingsurface whereby said continuously fed wire may be readily thrust fromthe path of said tool upon contacting said sloping surface in the courseof tool movement in said die.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in combination with means operating insynchronism with said tool and adjacent the point of entry of said toolinto said die for positioning said continuously fed wire thrust from thepath of said tool into the path of said tool relieved surface portionupon withdrawal of said latter portion from said die.

5. Apparatus for forming U-shaped fasteners from wire, each fastenerhaving two leg portions and a wire crosspiece portion connecting saidleg portions, said apparatus comprising a die having a longitudinalpassageway, a reciprocating tool movable in said passageway, saidpassageway being formed integrally with spaced parallel guide channelsstraddling said passageway for receiving and guiding said fastener legportions, the width of said channels being substantially the same as thethickness of said wire, said reciprocating tool having spaced edgeportions of arcuate configuration projecting forwardly of the distalends of the opposed side edges of said tool for engaging said wirewhereby said wire will not be bent at a sharp angle when engagedthereby, said arcuate forward edge portions being intermediate saidguide channels when disposed in said passageway and engageable with aportion of wire from which said fastener crosspiece is formed, wherebythe same may be forced into said passageway and said wire portionsstraddling said portion engaging said tool forward edge portions may bebent relative thereto and forced into said parallel guide channelsstraddling said passageway, and reciprocally movable stop means movableinto a position transversely disposed to the movement of said wireengaged by said spaced arcuate forward edge portions of said toolwhereby said stop means may impart a straight-line configuration to thewire portion interposed between the wire portions engaging said spaced,arcuate forward edge portions of said tool.

6. Apparatus for forming U-shaped fasteners from wire, each fastenerhaving two leg portions and a wire crosspiece portion connecting saidleg portions, said apparatus comprising a die having a longitudinalpassageway, a reciprocating tool movable in said passageway, saidpassageway being formed integrally with spaced parallel guide channelsstraddling said passageway for receiving and guiding said fastener legportions, the width of said channels being substantially the same as thethickness of said wire, said reciprocating tool having spaced forwardedge portions of arcuate configuration for engaging said wire wherebysaid wire will not be bent at a sharp angle when engaged thereby, saidarcuate forward edge portions being intermediate said guide channelswhen disposed in said passageway and engageable with a portion of wirefrom which said fastener crosspiece is formed, whereby the same may beforced into said passageway and said wire portions straddling saidportion engaging said tool forward edge portions may be bent relativethereto and forced into said parallel guide channels straddling saidpassageway, reciprocally movable stop means movable into a positiontransversely disposed to the movement of said wire engaged by saidspaced arcuate forward edge portions of said tool whereby said stopmeans may impart a straight-line configuration to the wire portioninterposed between the wire portions engaging said spaced, arcuateforward edge portions of said tool, and a resiliently biased detentdisposed in said passageway having a distal end movable into the spacebetween said tool spaced forward edge portions upon withdrawal of saidtool forward edge portions from said die passageway whereby the formedwire engaging said tool is engaged by said detent, removed fromengagement with said tool and retained in said die passageway.

7. Apparatus for forming U-shaped fasteners from wire, each fastenerhaving two leg portions and a wire crosspiece portion connecting saidleg portions, said apparatus comprising a die having a longitudinalpassageway, a reciprocating tool movable in said passageway, saidpassageway being formed integrally with spaced parallel guide channelsstraddling said passageway for receiving and guiding said fastener legportions, said reciprocating tool having a distal portion disposedbeneath the plane of said die guide channels, and a tool edge spacedfrom said tool distal portion movable out of said die passageway,disposed above the plane of said tool distal portion in the plane ofsaid parallel guide channels; said tool edge comprising spaced portionsof arcuate configuration disposed forwardly of the lateral end limits ofsaid tool edge, said tool spaced portions being engageable with aportion of wire from which said fastener crosspiece is formed, wherebythe same may be forced into said die passageway by said tool portionsand said wire portions straddling said portion engaging said toolforward edge portions may be bent relative thereto and forced into saidparallel guide channels.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in combination with means operating insynchronism with said tool and adjacent the point of entry of said toolinto said die for positioning a portion of said wire on said tool planarportion in the path of said tool edge movement when said tool edge isoutside said die passageway.

9. Apparatus for forming U-shaped fasteners from wire, each fastenerhaving two leg portions and a wire crosspiece portion connecting saidleg portions, said apparatus comprising a die having a longitudinalpassageway, a reciprocating tool movable in said passageway, saidreciprocating tool having an edge portion spanning the interval betweensaid guide channels and having a height substantially equal to theheight of said guide channels, said edge portion comprising spaced twinarcuate portions disposed forwardly of the lateral end limits of saidtool edge;- said arcuate portions defining a central recesstherebetween, said tool spaced portions being engageable with a portionof wire from which said fastener crosspiece is formed, whereby the samemay be forced into said die passageway by said tool portions and saidwire portions straddling said portion engaging said tool forward edgeportions may be bent relative thereto and forced into said parallelguide channels.

10. Apparatus for forming U-shaped fasteners from wire, each fastenerhaving two leg portions and a wire crosspiece portion connecting saidleg portions, said apparatus comprising a die having a longitudinalpassageway, a reciprocating tool movable in said passageway. having afastener-forming end portion reciprocally movable into said passageway,means continuously feeding wire across said die and into the path ofmovement of said tool fastener-forming end portion, the side of saidtool disposed closer to said wire feeding means being formed so as tothrust said continuously fed wire above and over said reciprocatingtool, and means operating in synchronism with said tool adjacent thepoint of entry of said tool into said die for positioning saidcontinuously fed wire into the path of said tool fastener-forming endportion upon withdrawal of said latter portion from said die.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS240,174 Pearce Apr. 12, 1881 1,026,216 Latham et a1. May 14, 19121,301,559 Hermsdorf Apr. 22, 1919 1,570,198 Berkley Jan. 19, 19261,862,717 Sorrick June 14, 1932 2,222,220 Binch Nov. 19, 1940 2,486,450Wahl Nov. 1, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 39,942 Austria Dec. 10, 1909

1. APPARATUS FOR FORMING U-SHAPED FASTENERS FROM WIRE, EACH FASTENERHAVING TWO LEG PORTIONS AND A WIRE CROSSPIECE PORTION CONNECTING SAIDLEG PORTIONS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A DIE HAVING A LONGITUDINALPASSAGEWAY, A RECIPROCATING TOOL MOVABLE IN SAID PASSAGEWAY, SAIDPASSAGEWAY BEING FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH SPACED PARALLEL GUIDE CHANNELSSTRADDLING SAID PASSAGEWAY FOR RECEIVING AND GUIDING SAID FASTENER LEGPORTIONS, SAID RECIPROCATING TOOL HAVING SPACED EDGE PORTIONS OF ARCUATECONFIGURATION PROJECTING FORWARDLY OF THE OPPOSED LATERAL EDGES OF SAIDTOOL FOR ENGAGING SAID WIRE WHEREBY SAID WIRE WILL NOT BE BENT AT ASHARP ANGLE WHEN ENGAGED THEREBY, SAID ARCUATE FORWARD EDGE PORTIONSBEING INTERMEDIATE SAID GUIDE CHANNELS WHEN DISPOSED IN SAID PASSAGEWAYAND ENGAGEABLE WITH A PORTION OF WIRE FROM WHICH SAID FASTENERCROSSPIECE IS FORMED, WHEREBY THE SAME MAY BE FORCED INTO SAID DIEPASSAGEWAY AND SAID WIRE PORTIONS STRADDLING SAID PORTION ENGAGING SAIDTOOL FORWARD EDGE PORTIONS MAY BE BENT RELATIVE THERETO AND FORCED INTOSAID PARALLEL GUIDE CHANNELS STRADDLING SAID PASSAGEWAY.